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Claire Standish
Claire Standish is The Princess who decided to ditch class by going shopping at the mall. Character Analysis Claire is labeled as the princess of the group. She is beautiful, rich and possibly the most popular girl at school which makes people assume that her life is perfect. In reality, Claire's parents are on the verge of a divorce and use her as a way to get back at each other. It is evident that Claire feels the need to escape her life since she longs to stay with her brother instead of with her parents. She also wishes she was on a plane to France. When Andrew questioned if they were going to be like their parents, Claire immediately said "not me", indicating that she doesn't wish to follow in her parents' footsteps. It may be noted that unlike Andrew and Brian, Claire never doubted John when he told the group about his abusive parents, possibly because Claire herself has first hand experience of what its like to be not taken seriously in the same regard. Since Claire is seen as a princess, the group constantly assumes that she is bitchy, shallow and materialistic. This is evident when Brain and Bender look surprised that she would think its ok for a guy to be a virgin. Bender also teases her saying that 'you're gonna get married and squeeze out a few puppies...' indicating that he possibly assumes that Claire's aim in life is to get married to a rich guy her parents approve of and then settle into a mundane life. Bender also takes out all his anger towards the popular crowd on Claire since she represents everything he hates about the 'richies'. In reality, Claire is quite soft at heart and very emotionally vulnerable. She is easily manipulated by Allison into admitting that she is a virgin and also reveals how she often goes along with whatever her friends say even if its against her will. Besides every bad assumption made about Claire, it is very evident that Claire is loyal to the group, often sticking up for Bender against Richard Vernon. It is also evident that she is neither bitchy nor materialistic when she helps Allison break out of her shell and gives Bender one of her diamond earrings, a symbol that even she doesn't have everything and that he now has a piece of her, contrary to what he said earlier 'you got everything and I got shit'. The Breakfast Club Claire is the first one to arrive for detention. She is minding her own business while complaining to Andrew that she can't believe this is happening to her. Several minutes after detention begins, Claire is addressed by John while he asks Brian to shut the door so that they can get the prom queen impregnated. She is furious with his teasing and insulting, especially after John says that Claire is a fat girl name and once she is married with kids she'll be just that. He also teases her by asking her if she is a virgin and that he bets that she has never kissed a boy on the mouth or been felt up 'over the bra, under the blouse, over the panties, shirt unbuttoned, no bra, Calvin's in a ball on the front seat...' Claire is evidently affected after this exchange. Later he also mocks her 'sushi' lunch and when she asks where his lunch is, he says that she is wearing it. Later when John reveals his cigar burn as a proof of his father's abuse, Claire looked sympathetic and nodded her head in disgust, later telling Andrew that he shouldn't have doubted John. Claire, along with the rest of the group covered for Bender when he stole the screw, asking Vernon why anybody would want to steal a screw and also when Vernon stormed in asking what the ruckus was, while John Bender hid under Claire's desk and wedged his head between Claire's legs. This leads Claire to call him an asshole. However, she and Brian join Bender later and smoke pot and Claire giggles and makes eyes at John when she gets high. Later, when the group is sitting together, Claire is manipulated and pressured into admitting that she is In fact a virgin (because she wants to be with someone who would love and respect her). Later when the group is discussing what each one of them can do, Claire demonstrates that she can apply lipstick by placing the stick between her breasts. Though John swore that he wouldn't laugh, he slow claps and sarcastically says that his image of Claire is totally blown to which Claire replies that she has just as many feelings as he does and it hurts just as much when someone steps all over them. John responds by saying that she is pathetic to have compared him to herself since she has everything and he has 'got shit'. He comments that he likes her earrings and bets that they are real diamonds and were given to her as a Christmas gift whereas he got a pack of cigarettes form his abusive father and that Claire should cry to her father at home instead of to John. After this exchange Claire says that she is never going to be like her parents. She also says that come Monday, things would go back to the way they were and that she wouldn't want to be friends with any of them (possibly after all the hurtful things Bender said to Claire). After that Bender calls her a bitch and she asks 'why? cause I am telling the truth?' To this Bender says that 'you know how shitty that is to do to someone' and that Clare does not have the courage to stand up to her friends and tell them that she will pick her own friends. Claire says that he is a hypocrite and that he himself wouldn't like to be seen with Claire in front of his friends to which John yells that it is never going to happen and that Claire doesn't know any of his friends and that she should stick to the things she knows 'shopping, nailpolish, her father's BMW and her drunk mother in the Caribbean'. He also says that she should bury her head in the sand and wait for her F**K**G prom. This drives Claire to tears and she declares that she hates him. Brian also calls her conceited and Claire explains that she doesn't like having to go along with everything her friends say and that she is constantly under a lot of pressure from her popular friends and family. As the detention comes to an end, she says to Brian that she and the others trust him and that he should write the paper on all of their behalf. She also gives Alison a makeover and when Alison asks her why she is being so nice to her, Claire responds 'cause you are letting me'. She later visits Bender in the closet and kisses his neck and asks if he was really disgusted with her lipstick trick to which he says no. She walks out of the school and gives John one of her diamond earing showing him that she can meet him halfway. After they share a kiss, she gets in car and is driven away as Bender watches and puts the earing on his ear. Throughout the movie Claire struggles to find the reason behind her unhappiness. She realizes that she is trying to be someone she’s not so that she will be well liked and considered “popular”. She also mentions that her parents are constantly fighting and use her as a way to get back at each other. She would rather live with her brother and wishes that she was on a plane to France. Claire discovers that she is not alone, and that everyone tends to mask their real thoughts and feelings to become what people expect them to be, such as a geek, a loner, a badass, or an athlete. She learns to accept her true self. Along with this, she also learns to accept others for who they truly are. Throughout this weekend detention, she learns that people should just accept each other for who they really are. Clearly, Claire is deeply affected by her parent's constant fighting. She feels that her parents don't love her and use her as accessory to get even with each other. Since Claire doesn't get the love and sense of belonging with her family, it is highly possible that she looks for it in school with her group of friends, even if that means becoming something she is not to fit in with them. Physical Appearance Claire has a very beautiful face complimented with lush pouty lips, small nose, chocolate brown eyes and a slim long neck. She has a pale rosy complexion and fiery red hair. She is petite and tall at approx. 5.7ft. For detention,she wears a pink blouse with a long brown wraparound skirt with brown leather boots. She also had a lace scarf, a red sweater, a brown leather jacket and leather gloves. She carries a bunch of makeup and a perfume in her purse. Claire also wore diamond earring which were mocked by John but Claire later gave one of them to him. According to John, Claire is a fat girl name and he can imagine Claire 'pushing maximum density' after she gets married and 'squeezes out a few puppies'.